Muscat, August 26
Abdulaziz al Muqbali struck in the 98th minute to hand Seeb a dramatic 1-0 victory over Saham in the Sohar International Cup, while Sohar defeated Ibri 3-1 and Oman Club recorded a 2-0 win over Samayil.
Seeb’s encounter with Saham remained goalless until deep into stoppage time, with both sides producing a closely contested performance.
Saham made the brighter start and enjoyed a slight edge during the opening 10 minutes before Seeb began to take control of possession and create several promising opportunities. However, Saham’s well-organised defence and alert goalkeeper kept the danger away.
Much of the opening half was played in midfield, with Saham relying on counterattacks. Their breaks caused occasional concern for Seeb, although the absence of a recognised centre-forward limited their effectiveness in front of goal.
The pattern continued after the interval as both teams searched for the breakthrough. A series of substitutions after the hour mark gave fresh energy to the contest, with Seeb becoming increasingly dangerous following the introduction of Ali al Busaidi and Al Muqbali.
The decisive moment arrived in the 98th minute when Seeb earned a corner and Al Muqbali rose to head home the winner, sealing all three points in dramatic fashion.
Despite the defeat, Saham delivered a disciplined performance and remained defensively resilient until the closing seconds.
Meanwhile, Sohar maintained their winning run with a 3-1 victory over Ibri at the Ibri Sports Complex, taking their tally to six points.
The match began cautiously before opening up midway through the first half. Saud bin Mohammed al Muqbali put Sohar ahead in the 35th minute, collecting a through ball inside the penalty area and calmly directing a low finish beyond the goalkeeper.
Ibri responded two minutes later through Sheikhna Simjia, whose powerful long-range strike caught the Sohar goalkeeper by surprise and restored parity before the interval.
Sohar increased the pressure after the restart and almost regained the lead in the 47th minute when Rashid bin Jameel al Hosni’s low effort struck the post. Their persistence paid off in the 69th minute as Abdullah bin Mubarak al Muqbali capitalised on a loose ball inside the six-yard area and finished smartly.
Saud al Muqbali then completed the scoring in the 78th minute, weaving past the Ibri defence before finding the net for his second goal of the match.
At the Nizwa Sports Complex, Oman Club secured their first victory of the competition with a deserved 2-0 win over Samayil, moving onto four points and into second place.
Abdulaleem bin Abdullah al Rawahi opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 35th minute before Abdullah bin Mohammed al Balushi doubled the advantage seven minutes later.
Samayil attempted to respond in the second half and made several changes to strengthen their attack. Still, Oman Club remained organised at the back and comfortably protected their lead until the final whistle.
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